Statement by L.D.Trotsky

To the Politburo of the Central Committee

I did not want to ask for a leave of absence until February-March, although for the last 1 1/2 - 2 m[e]s[i]c]s insomnia and neuralgia of the head have paralyzed me greatly. In part, I had envisioned spending a month in a position of semi-vacation ("Rabochaya Gazeta "1). But now I am compelled to ask for an immediate vacation. The productivity of my work is minimal, both because of my ill-health and because of the "piecemeal" nature of the work itself: a multitude of disparate assignments, taking up time mainly to move from one to another, and in my deepest inner conviction almost every one of these assignments of the P[olit]bureau or the Organizational Bureau could be carried out more easily and better by those who should be in charge. Apart from the physical waste of time, I mentally cannot stand this regime, just as I cannot stand cigarette butts on the stairs. Because of this continuous and, in my opinion, senseless plundering of my working time, I am in a state of constant uncertainty and anxiety, which completely paralyzes my ability to work.

I ask the P[olit]bureau to grant me a month's leave of absence.

23/I 1922.

L. Trotsky

Lenin's proposal

Read. 24/I. Lenin. (For, but ask to start vacation at the end of] work on Georgia)2.

Draft resolution of the Politburo of the Central Committee of the RCP(b), proposed by L.B.Kamenev

To agree to a leave of absence with a request to begin at the end of the work on Georgia and with the retention, if d[octo]r permits, of the general supervision of the military[/octo]r and the Gokhran[/octo]r].

L. Kamenev.

G.Zinoviev.

Voting record of the members of the Politburo of the Central Committee of the RCP(b)

I join you.      I. Stalin.

Agreed.                     Lenin.

In favor.                            Molotov.

Fund 2, op. 2, d. 1100 - autographs.

1 "Rabochaya Gazeta" - a daily newspaper, an organ of the Central Committee of the RCP(b) - All-Union Communist Party of Bolsheviks. It was published from March 1, 1922 to January 29, 1932.

2The following note: "3a. Stalin"; Lenin's proposal and Stalin's note were crossed out, apparently by L.B.Kamenev after he had written the draft resolution. On December 31, 1921 the Politburo of the Central Committee of the RCP(b) decided: "To entrust Trotsky with the compilation of a brochure on Georgia, suggesting him to write it first of all" (RCCHIDNI, f. 17, op. 3, d. 247, l. 3).

L.D.Trotsky wrote a brochure "Between Imperialism and Revolution. Basic questions of the revolution on the private example of Georgia". Moscow, Gosizdat, 1922, 131 p.

According to the results of the survey of the members of the Politburo, the following resolution was included in the minutes of the Politburo of the Central Committee of the RCP(b) of January 25, 1922: "To grant leave with a request to begin at the end of the work on Georgia and with the preservation, if the doctor permits, of the general supervision of the military department and Gokhran" (RCCHIDNI, f. 17, op. 3, d. 256, l. 3).